Incident Name:
Date: 6/8/1984
Personnel: David Gardella
Age: 34
Agency/Organization: Jackson Fire Department, Jackson, CA working with California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) now CAL FIRE, Amador, ElDorado Ranger Unit
Position: firefighter
Summary: On June 8, 1984, David Gardella was operating with a backpack extinguisher on a grass fire near Jackson CA when he stepped on a powerline. He died of electrocution.
Maps
Jackson, CA (SE of Sacramento in the foothills; east of Camanche Lake @ Ione, CA)
38.347794,-120.774718
Hwy 49 x Hwy 88
{mosmap lat=’38.347794’|lon=’-120.774718’|marker=’0’|text=’general accident location’}
Reports, Documentation, Lessons Learned
- listed on the NWCG Wildland Fire Fatalities by Year 1910-2011State – California
Location – Jackson
Accident – Electrocution
1 fatality
- California Death Index: David Gardella
Wildlandfire.com Links:
Media Articles and Reports
Photos, Videos, & Tributes
- USFA Memorial Database: David Gardella
- Honored on the California fallen firefighters wall in Sacramento. California Memorial LODDs by Wall Order. (84 K pdf) –see page 17
- David Guardella is also honored on the USFA National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, MD. Look for his name under California.
Contributors to this article: a CAL FIRE firefighter
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